According to data provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 195 birds and bats and one moth were killed by five of the largest wind farms on Maui and Oahu since August 2007. KITV4 obtained the information after filling a Freedom of Information request with the agency.

"Unfortunately, that may just be the price we have to pay for wind energy, renewable energy," said Angela Huntemer, a North Shore resident who has been working to promote wildlife conservation at Turtle Bay Resort.

According to statistics examined by KITV4, Kaheawa Wind Power 1, located on a ridge above Maalaea in southwest Maui, had the largest number of birds and bats killed, with 81. That was followed by the Kawailoa Wind Farm on Oahu's North Shore with 54 kills, the Kahuku Wind Farm in Koolauloa with 30 kills, Kaheawa Wind Power 2 with 17 kills, and Auwahi Wind on Ulupalakua Ranch in southeast Maui with 13 kills. At Auwahi Wind, an endangered Blackburn's sphinx moth was also killed, but the death is not believed to be the result of a windmill strike.

However most concerning is the number of endangered birds and bats killed by wind turbines over a period of six years and seven months. According to statistics examined by KITV4, 25 Hawaiian hoary bats, 20 nene and four Hawaiian petrels have fallen victim to wind turbines.

Seventeen of the nene, Hawaii's state bird, were killed at Kaheawa Wind Power 1, while three died at Kaheawa Wind Power 2. Nene are mostly found on Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, although a nesting pair recently hatched chicks in Kahuku.

Meanwhile the largest number of Hawaiian hoary bats killed, 12, died at the Kawailoa Wind Farm. That was followed by seven at Kaheawa Wind Power 1, three at Kahuku Wind Power, two at Kaheawa Wind Power 2 and one at Auwahi Wind Farm.

First Wind operates four of the five wind farms that reported "strike data" to the Fish and Wildlife Service, and was the first company to complete a habitat conservation plan at its Kaheawa Wind Power 1 location. Habitat conservation plans identify species likely to be impacted by wind turbines and prescribes mitigation efforts that will actually increase populations.

First Wind invited KITV4 onto its Kawailoa property to observe operations and see how the Boston-based company tries to mitigate bird and animal strikes.

"In the end, our projects create a net conservation benefit for these species in Hawaii and that means increasing their numbers for years to come," said Carolyn Unser, First Wind's community outreach coordinator.

For example, First Wind's Makamakaole seabird mitigation project on Maui provides a predator-free home for Newell shearwaters and Hawaiian petrels. All told, the company has budgeted $6.2 million for conservation efforts in Hawaii at its four wind farms on Maui and Oahu.

At Kawailoa, First Wind has erected 100 wildlife acoustic song meters to track the movement of hoary bats across hundreds of acres. The devices pick up signals emitted by the tiny creatures as they navigate through the air.

"It allows us to see when they're most active," said Unser. "What time of the day and what time of the year."

Although First Wind is revealing itself as a good environmental steward, incidental kills have some North Shore locals wondering whether the area has reached its wind power limit.

"I would definitely like to see a moratorium on wind power, at least in our area on Oahu and perhaps around the islands where there are birds that frequent the areas that are protected," said Huntemer.

Under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it's illegal to kill an endangered or protected species. However wind farms are allowed to operate under waivers and incidental take permits granted by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency declined an interview with KITV4 regarding windmill strikes in Hawaii.

For a complete list of birds and animals killed by wind turbines in Hawaii, click here

Exclusive tonight ... WINDMILL KILLS... The frightening side-effect to Hawaii's renewable energy push... Thanks for joining us, I'm Yunji de Nies. And I'm Paula Akana. Hawaii's wind turbines might be good for energy, but they're proving to be bad for birds. KITV4's Andrew Pereira dug up documents detailing dozens of deadly strikes... including endangered species and even our state bird. :19 :51 1:04 1:27 2:27-2:32 WIND MILL SWOOSH Call it the winds of change... In 2012, 29 percent of Hawaii's renewable energy came from these spinning giants. However birds and other flying animals were here first, and when the two collide, the turbines always win. ANGELA HUNTEMER: "UNFORTUNATELY THAT MAY JUST BE THE PRICE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR WIND ENERGY, RENEWABLE ENERGY." According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 195 birds and other flying animals have been killed by turbines at five of the largest wind farms on Maui and Oahu since Aug. 2007. Turbines don't play favorites. They kill every type of bird. Even endangered ones. The Blackburn's sphinx moth, the Hawaiian Hoary Bat, the Hawaiian Petrel, and our beloved state bird -- the nene -- have all fallen victim. ANDREW PEREIRA: "HOWEVER SUPPORTERS OF WIND POWER POINT TO THE FACT THAT MORE BIRDS ARE KILLED BY BUILDINGS AND POWER LINES EVERY YEAR THAN TURBINES SUCH AS THESE." CAROLYN UNSER: "IN THE END OUR PROJECTS CREATE A NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT FOR THESE SPECIES IN HAWAII AND THAT MEANS INCREASING THEIR NUMBERS FOR YEARS TO COME." At Kawailoa Wind Farm above Oahu's North Shore, a habitat conservation plan developed by First Wind and Carolyn Unser is nearly as massive as the 30 turbines. Nearly 500 pages long, the document outlines how the company can reduce incidental strikes and actually provide a net benefit to threatened and endangered species. The Makamakaole project on Maui provides a predator-free home for Newell shearwaters and Hawaiian petrels... all built and paid for by First Wind. CAROLYN UNSER: "AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PROVIDES A SAFE AREA FOR THOSE BIRDS TO CREATE A HABITAT AND A BREEDING AREA FOR YEARS TO COME." But endangered animals are endangered for a reason. It's believed the nene and Hawaiian hoary bat number just a few thousand, but are the most common endangered species killed by wind turbines. In the more than 6 years of data looked at by KITV4, 25 hoary bats and 20 nene died after flying into the spinning blades. First Wind tracks those incidental kills with the help of Murphy... "MURPHY GETTING OUT OF KENNEL" ...a 2-year-old yellow Lab anxious to please his handler and best friend Deborah Wilson. "DEBORAH COMMANDING DOG" On this day, no birds or bats for Murphy to find, but he and Wilson are constantly tested. DEBORAH WILSON: "HE EXPECTS TO FIND SOMETHING WHETHER IT'S ONE OF HIS TARGET ODORS OR SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT TO CHECK OUR EFFICIENCY." First Wind is also helping researchers find out more about this little guy... the elusive Hawaiian hoary bat. One hundred wildlife acoustic song meters track the tiny creature's movement across hundreds of acres. CAROLYN UNSER: "AND IT ALLOWS US TO SEE WHEN THEY'RE MOST ACTIVE; WHAT TIME OF THE DAY AND WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR." Although First Wind is revealing itself as a good environmental steward, incidental kills have some locals wondering whether the North Shore has reached its wind power limit. ANGELA HUNTEMER: "I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE A MORATORIUM ON WIND POWER, AT LEAST IN OUR AREA ON OAHU AND PERHAPS AROUND THE ISLANDS WHERE THERE ARE BIRDS THAT FREQUENT THE AREA THAT ARE PROTECTED." Although killing endangered and protected species is illegal under federal law, wind farms in Hawaii are allowed to operate under waivers and incidental take permits. Paula?

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